1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of client-server networks and more particularly to systems and methods for access to remote devices through such networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional techniques exist to connect remote devices across phone lines such as the basic telephone system. Establishing a connection between remote fax machines and between remote computers is more complicated but also well established. However, conventional connection techniques emphasis single connections occurring on separate occasions.
For instance, a local fax machine is limited to a single remote machine connection at a time. Software which enables a local machine to broadcast faxes to multiple remote machines is well known, however, the local machine makes a series of sequential telephone calls, one to each remote machine individually. Consequently, information is transmitted in a single direction, from local to remote machine and received by the remote machine.
Other conventional techniques include a local computer connecting to a remote computer by using a local modem to initiate a dial-up connection to the modem of a remote computer. A point-to-point protocol (PPP) connection is established between the computers and data is transmitted and received bi-directionally.
In order to gain access to multiple computers, the local computer connects to a communication network such as the Internet by dialing the telephone number of the Internet Service Provider (ISP), entering the appropriate account information and gaining access to the ISP's high-speed connection such as a T-1 or T-3 connection. A modem pool is used by the ISP to provide access to the high-speed connection by multiple users dialing in on standard phone lines.
Unfortunately, according to conventional methods, the local computer is limited to maintaining one PPP connection at a time. The PPP connection is primarily used to connect the local computer to the ISP such as America On Line in order to gain access to the Internet. A user wishing to connect to a remote device other than the ISP must disconnect from the ISP, cease the telephone connection, reconfigure the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) protocols of the local computer and initiate a re-dial of a telephone number of the second remote computer. Once connected, the local computer must accurately identify the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the remote computer.
Conventional methods also have demanding configuration requirements; the remote computer must be configured as a server and list the local computer as a qualified user. The remote computer must accurately recognize the IP address of the local computer and reach parity between the local computer and the remote computer before data can be exchanged.
Variations of the single connection schemes exist also with conventional computers using modern operating systems such as Windows or Macintosh operating systems. These operating systems allow multiple dial-up phone numbers to be stored in a directory. Typically, these operating systems do not allow multiple network settings, such as TCP/IP settings, to be saved. Therefore, each connection must be laboriously initiated.
In a typical office setting, multiple computers are connected within a local area network (LAN) to a central modem-router capable of connecting to an ISP in order to connect to the Internet and to receive e-mail. Even if the user's computer is equipped with a modem, it is typically difficult for an individual user to configure their computer to bypass the modem-router and create a direct dial-up connection.
Access to the Internet enables a user to easily connect to remote computers and view information posted on the remote computer's web site. However, concurrent data from multiple remote sources is not obtainable with conventional approaches. Even though the local computer can connect to multiple remote computers via the Internet, data is only transmitted between the local computer and one remote computer at a time. Multiple browser windows may be opened, but data is transmitted by one computer at a time. Furthermore, information residing on one of the remote computers is only immediately accessible if the remote computer is connected to an always-on type connection such as an ISDN or DSL line, and running server software and connected to an ISP. Furthermore, the information residing on the remote computer is only accessible if the computer is connected to an always-on type connection such as an ISDN or DSL line and running server software and connected to an ISP.
Connecting to data sending devices initiated from a communication network such as the Internet is well known. There are many inventions that allow a remote user to access a server programmed to connect to a remote device using a standard phone line.
Some conventional approaches include methods for using hypertext links from a web page to locate other web pages accessible over standard phone lines. Other conventional methods include viewing a remote web site by dialing a remote computer from a web page service provider. Web pages are viewed as static images. New data must be laboriously programmed onto the web page before the new data can be viewed by a remote user.
Conference calls are also well known in the art. Data relative to the conference such as the time elapsed and list of other conference attendees can be displayed on personal computers that are networked. Conventional methods include telephone conferencing systems in which data on conferees' activity relative to the conference is displayed on all networked computers.
A static message can be transmitted to a centralized distribution center and forwarded to multiple recipients in other conventional approaches involving the transmission of a single message to multiple recipients connected to a central message center by differing means.
Initiating a conference call using the Internet is well known. Conventional approaches include using the Internet to initiate voice telephony calls. A singular connection is made between the user and application agent. Other parties may be added to the call via a conference bridge. Some of the conventional methods include initiating a phone call from a personal computer by accessing a call center from the Internet. Others have a telephone conferencing system in which a personal computer is used to initiate a voice conference.
Weather data, such as data for irrigation scheduling, is used by other conventional systems such as those involved with remote weather stations that are contacted by an Internet based data access system utilizing a cellular phone link. Data can be sent to a data access system where it is stored and eventually retrieved by a user over the Internet.
Because of the unique protocols necessary to connect to a remote device from a standard phone line initiated by a central server, conventional systems are not capable of maintaining concurrent connections to multiple sites. These conventional systems are limited to accessing the remote devices one at a time. Likewise, data from multiple remote devices cannot be accessed concurrently by multiple systems being operated by multiple users.
Data from multiple sites is typically collected sequentially from individual devices and stored on a central database. This database can then be accessed from a server at the request of users using computers that are connected to the Internet. Even though the database can be simultaneously accessed by multiple users using computers connected to a network, the original data streams from the remote data sites cannot be accessed directly by these network connected computers being used by the multiple users.
In order for a user to expeditiously compare and contrast data, it is necessary for the user's computer to access concurrent data from multiple remote devices as it is collected.
Other examples of limitations of conventional systems include multiple independent systems that are in modern buildings such as elevator controllers, fire alarm panels, air control dampers, and emergency electrical power systems. These systems send data over a standard phone to remote users connected to the Internet. The data would be more, however, if, unlike prior art capabilities, the data could be accessed and managed by users of multiple remote devices as the data is collected.